January House
Fierce-As-Red-Hair and Fly-As-A-Fox
from the liminal's edge came to pick the locks
dressed in their frills
for thrills and kills
they opened the door
and live here still.
Fly-As-A-Fox and Fierce-As-Red-Hair
can spin windershins and dance on green air
with nightshade brows
and bones of mouse
they climbed the steps of
the January house.
Fly and Fierce have a skull that sings
have pleated blue smocks and onyx rings
on the balcony standing with little sharp things
that gleam by moon's eye
where you cannot pass by
unless you dance
with Fierce and
Fly.
Don't splash through the mud where the lily nods.
Don't go to a church where you don't know the gods.
There's no time to pray
and the blood has its way
when Fierce and Fly
come out to play.
June 2020
posted for
Note: The flowering plant below the girls in this picture is agapanthus, or Lily of the Nile, native to South Africa. It is not a lily, and not from the Nile tho it does like a warm climate and a moist soil.
Image: color (not colorized) photograph from 1908, author unknown, manipulated
First take I read this as an ode to your gal pal Fireblossom, but askant of that these sisters of mayhem go merrily knocking down everything in our way. Sweet child imagoes of two very lean and mean witches. "Don't splash through the mud where the lily nods. / Don't go to a church where you don't know the gods." Ahem and amen. - Brendan
ReplyDeleteOoOOo! I liked it this from the start, but from the 4th stanza--with its Edward Goreyesque images--on, things really take off. This is fun, and chilling, and good advice to boot. I love it!
ReplyDeleteSisters living in a world of their very own making .. did climbing the steps of the January House end their lives of privilege? This is an immensely satisfying poem ~~ the reverse image fits beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThe rhyme in this is to die for. I especially love the last few lines of the gleam of moon's eye and lily nods and gods. The lily of the Nile note is a wonderful addition to the photo and feel of the poem. Simply captivating Joy!
ReplyDeletePowerful and thoughtful writing! I like especially "Don't go to church where you don't know the gods.' That strikes me as especially wise today!
ReplyDelete*bows down in supplication* Amazing! Love this so much. It creeps through its paces perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThis is a glorious read. I love every line, especially "dont go to a church where you dont know the gods" and "with nightshade brows and bones of mouse / they climbed the steps of the January house." Perfection!
ReplyDeleteA delightful flight of fancy! I love the rhyming.
ReplyDeleteLove it..It sounds like a chant or a spell..a warning to those who would walk stairs without knowing where they lead.
ReplyDeleteSo, so good. The play of the words, yet the danger they mask. Complete with the negative image. And this: "Don't go to a church where you don't know the gods."
ReplyDeleteThanks, qbit. I'm afraid your blog continues to reject my comments, but I did copy and am posting here: "This is a very visual poem, full of shades of blue. It's also one where words give an actual experience through image--kind of the point of poetry, but a mark often missed. I appreciate the sense of dislocation, the off-ness, of that other age which seems so benign, but of course had plenty of terrors of its own, juxtaposed with our current jungle of anxiety. As always, a pleasure to watch you work at these things."
Deletefun how macabre can be fun, in the write poet's hands ~
ReplyDelete